Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Five! My baby is 5?!
I feel like I should be writing an epic update of how amazing you are and all the things you've achieved in your 4th year but I'm kinda over here just scratching my head on how in the world 5 years have already passed. I'll try anyway...
Gymnastics: You are an absolute natural and have been moved up through 2 levels already. Even in your current class, "Hotshots 3" you are a standout little athlete.
Preschool: You started going to a preschool in the neighboring subdivision and you really seem to like it! You come home with all sorts of awesome projects and always ask what day it is so you can figure out when you get to go again. I've had the opportunity of going on a couple of field trips with you and your class and I love to watch you interact with your classmates. It's a part of you that I don't always get to see... you're social and kind and a born leader.
Home: You are a wonderful daughter and sister. You are becoming more and more helpful around the house everyday even though sometimes you don't like being asked. You roll your eyes and slump your shoulders like a pro but you help anyway and I appreciate it.

Four had trials. You learned the power of words and went through a phase of practicing very hurtful ones screamed at me and Dad... don't worry; we didn't buy it for a second. We know no matter what you holler through a slammed door that you do in fact love us. You express your independence all the time. Sometimes you choose to bike or walk or run or skate to preschool and although you say you can do it by yourself (and I believe you can) I drive veeeery slowly beside you and you're cool with that.
You're cool with most things, really and thankfully the mean phase past quickly. Phew!You are really great to your sister. The two of you run around the house constantly playing games that you invent. You almost always make the rules and teach them to her. It's your way or the highway but for now your way thrills your sister and she follows you like a puppy. Hazel adores you! And so do Daddy and I... and everyone else that gets to know you.
Four was magic. Four was challenging. How is four gone?!
I love you, Birdie Girl and am so thankful to get to watch you growing up.
No matter what you achieve or say or do or like and no matter how quickly you grow and change I'll be here to snuggle with you.

Thursday, December 26, 2013

Another wonderful Christmas for the books. My Dad spent the night on Christmas Eve which was awesome. We made cookies and ice cream and ate a nice meal together. We intended to watch a Christmas movie but after Jake downloaded a Santa tracking app we realized that it was later than we thought and shooed the kids (DunTah included) off to bed. That's when my favorite part of Christmas starts : ) You grow up thinking that being a kid on Christmas must be the best thing ever but eventually realize that being a parent on Christmas has the same magic.

Christmas morning was perfect. Messy haired kids (and adults) rushing downstairs to see what Santa left... Or start the coffee. Excited squeals and hugs and literal jumping of joy. It was absolutely perfect and I'm trying to ingrain it in my memory so I can think back to it for years to come. Those damn memories never stay as crisp as I would like but this should help.

Speaking of the stuff to remember... On Christmas Eve Hazel pulled something that winded her up in the naughty spot and Charlotte broke out in song. A song from their Elf on the Shelf movie in which the hook is, "Christmas is a tiiiiime for forgiveneeeeeesssss". Haha! It was so perfectly timed and I would compare the smile on Jake's face to The Grinch at the very moment he hears the Who's singing without their trees, gifts and whatsamadoodles. The adorable, happy and tender-hearted Grinch. Way to go, Charly Lou!!

Anywho... We were up by about 6am and had a wonderfully cozy and joyful Christmas in the living room. At 10 o'clock we had the annual McCall breakfast at Elmer's and then headed home to nap the kiddos and re-tidy the house.

Jake's folks came over at 3 and the girls had another round of presents and excitement. We snacked on gluten free crackers, cheese and veggies and ate a traditional Christmas ham for dinner. The company was great and while I threw together an easy little veggie tray the rest of the Bolin's played Cup-oink and we all just visited and laughed and enjoyed the family time.

After NiNi and Papa left the four of us headed upstairs, activated the "cuddle puddle" and watched The Polar Express. Have I used the word perfect too many times? The Bird fell to sleep on the couch but Button just got more and more wound up as it got later. I decided that as a special holiday treat I would lay in the bottom bunk while she fell to sleep. She decided that as holiday surprise she would break my heart... Out of nowhere she got really worked up and sad about her Gramma angel. We talk about my mom constantly and show her pictures and tell the girls how much they are loved by their Gramma. Christmas was no different.. We talked about how she would have laughed that it was almost a white Christmas but the snow had mostly melted off the day before, we talked about the stocking she made me when I was a baby and really just how she loved the holiday and all of us. I get sad sometimes but I hadn't. It was all super upbeat and happy until bedtime. Which of course toddlers have a way of doing. She started to cry randomly and said "I wish my Gramma angel would come down." She sobbed and said it over and over again with pathetic little exhausted whimpers in between. I cried with her and comforted her until she was asleep.

Ugh. I suppose there is no escaping that sadness... Even if you think maybe you did.

I finished the night off with Netflix on the couch with my best friend.

It really was a wonderful day.

I didn't get pictures of everything and that makes me mostly stoked that I didn't live through the iPhone lens but also just a little bummed that I don't have pictures of everyone. Here are a few from Christmas Eve and the early morning.

Sunday, December 22, 2013

This year Charlotte is hoping for a very specific Twilight Sparkle toy and Hazel would like a "Piderman talkie toy". They've been very good all year and were very brave to sit on your lap tonight. I am so excited to watch all this magic from their perspective. Thanks, Santa!!

Wednesday, December 18, 2013

Jake started Crossfit a little over a year ago and I remember at first I just thought he was crazy. His workouts seemed super intense, he was going at 5am and was always sore! But he kept going. And things changed. He seemed more in control of his emotions, more level headed and easier to be around... none of those things seem like they would be a direct effect from exercise but now that I have started consistently doing Crossfit I can see why. The hard work, community and mostly the fact that every time I walk in and see the workout it seems so impossible but I walk out an hour later having finished. To see your body progress and change, to feel yourself getting stronger, and to finally realize that you're in control and more capable than you may have ever imagined... these things apply to life; not just the gym.

I thought sense it has become such a big part of our lives lately I would share a few pictures here.

Clean 135#

Charlotte can this thing like a pro!

Sweat angel.

We've had a busy couple years between photos.

I wish I knew how much weight that was... a lot for sure.

I've managed to bring one friend along once : )

8 month difference.

After our partner WOD at the Barbells for Boobs fundraiser.

Hazel made him hold her precious dolly... haha!

This was a Barbells for Boobs, too. I can do my pull-ups unassisted now!

Flexin' it out.

I think this is a fundraiser we'll do for years to come! Very cool to have the family support, too.

SERIOUSLY.

We bring the girls along pretty often. Last night Jake worked late so it was just me that brought them.They were hanging out in a big tire watching cartoons on my phone and spinning a ball around and around the inside of the tire with them. As I was putting the girls to sleep last night I went to look through my pictures and noticed this on and another handful taken from the tire. They are our biggest motivators to improve in all aspects of our life; and they are watching.

We got a good snow last week and couldn't wait to get out and play in it! The girls tracked out our front yard and both neighbor's yards doing snow angels and belly flops before coming in for hot cocoa. Hazel burnt out before Lottie did so while Z and I were warming up inside Charlotte went to back yard and played on the slides. Wheeeeeee!!!

Tuesday, December 10, 2013

The girls absolutely adore each other and kill me with sweetness on the daily buuuut they are sisters and even at almost 5 and almost 3 they can throw down pretty seriously sister style.

We keep an art wall by our kitchen table. It's just two long (like 9 or 10 feet) pieces of picture hanging wire with lots of clips on it so we can proudly display the girls artwork without having the refrigerator door overrun with fingerpaintings : )

The art is ever rotating but some favorites stay put. Yesterday Charlotte had her DunTah pull down one of her favorites from last Valentine's day... A butterfly made of pink and red paper hearts.

Today said butterfly found itself in a tug-a-war between Birdie and Button.. Of course it was ripped in half and all hell broke loose. Bird can be over the top dramatic when the mood strikes her and booooy did it. First she yelled at Hazel (sad face!) "Look at what you did!!" When I interjected and asked her not to yell she just sobbed and ran upstairs to hide under her bed.

No one was at fault and I'm pretty sure even the girls know that when paper is pulled on it tears. I felt a little bad for both of them really.

I went upstairs after a minute to check on Charlotte who was still under the bed saying things like, "I didn't even get to say goodbye" ... Ugh. .

When we got back downstairs we found Hazel with the ripped up butterfly and a bottle of black acrylic paint dumped all over it. (And herself and the table and the bench and the floor...) She said proudly, "I fix it for WahWee!!"

Oh shit. I was sure Charlotte was going to freak even harder seeing the corpse painted black so I quickly asked Hazel if she was trying to fix it... Reiterating that she was trying to do something nice.

To my surprise the girls came together, held hands and apologized to each other (un coerced even!).

Phew. Bullet dodged and heart melted. I got the paint cleaned up and the Bird off to preschool. On her way out of the car Z shouted, "I'll miss you, WahWee!" and Charlotte hollered back the same.

I don't know why exactly I felt the urge to write about this in such length.. This is run of the mill happenings around here. In fact, Charlotte came home from preschool with a pink balloon that they managed to pop together. (Eye roll)

Thursday, December 5, 2013

Charlotte's preschool teacher, Miss Bridgette organized another awesome field trip of the kids.

Today we got to go see a real live reindeer conveniently named Prancer and then head over to Krispy Kream to see how doughnuts are made... Ewww though. The kids said the doughnuts were "taking a bath in the grease" and they were right. That's just before they get coated in sugar. Luckily we brought along some gluten free muffins so the girls were able to have a snack, too.